Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

 Mars Area High School will provide each student in Grades 9-12 with a District-issued electronic device to be used in school and at home for educational purposes, in accordance with District Policy 237 Electronic Devices & Personal Technology Resources and District Policy 815 Acceptable Use of Internet, Computers & Network Resources.

Note: All Mars Area High School students are required to have either a District-issued device or an approved personal BYOT device. All devices must be fully charged and brought to school each day. Distribution will occur prior to school starting this year. Devices will be used as part of the first day of school orientation activities.

For the 2019-2020 School Year, the devices provided at Mars Area High School will be a Microsoft Surface 3 or Surface Go. Each device comes with a keyboard and stylus pen with tip kit. Mars Area High School parent(s)/student will have the option to purchase the District-issued device or to pay an annual technology fee of $100 for a District-issued device. The District highly recommends that each student purchase his/her own case in order to better protect the device from damage. In the event that a student’s District-issued device cannot be used or is in need of repair, the student may be issued a loaner device or an alternate device (which may not be a Microsoft Surface 3), if available. Content will be made available for students on any registered BYOT or personal device, when possible.

REQUIRED FORM COMPLETION (Sept. 3-6, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

This school year, students and parents/guardians will need to PRINT, SIGN and DATE the required District technology forms and submit all completed forms along with the required payment at the High School during the first week of September. Parents who do not have access to the Internet or a printer may complete the forms and pay their fee at the school. Students who do not present the signed forms and/or the required payment will not receive a District-issued device.

Students who kept their device from the 2018-2019 School Year over the summer months are asked to bring in the device with all of the signed forms and the required payment between Tuesday, Sept. 3, and Friday, Sept. 6, so that the device may be inventoried. If students do not return their device or submit the required forms or payment by Friday, Sept. 13, the device will be deactivated on Sunday, Sept. 15.  

ALL MARS AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND A PARENT/GUARDIAN MUST REVIEW AND SUBMIT a signed “District-Issued Student Device Guidelines” form, “District-Issued Student Device (Grades 9-12) Technology Fee Payments & Distribution/Collection Information” form, and “Bring Your Own Technology Student Guidelines” form, all of which are included as attachments to District Policy 237 Electronic Devices & Personal Technology Resources (attached).

ALL MARS AREA STUDENTS (K-12) AND A PARENT/GUARDIAN MUST ALSO REVIEW AND SUBMIT
a signed “Computer Networks/Internet Use Student Agreement” form, which is included as an attachment to District Policy 815 Acceptable Use of Internet, Computers & Network Resources (attached).

PURCHASE PAYMENT 

Parent(s)/student(s) may purchase the District-issue device at the beginning of any school year. The purchase price will be determined based upon the actual retail value of the device at the time of purchase; will be re-computed for each school year based upon the replacement cost of the device; and will be due at the beginning of the corresponding school year. The total purchase price for the 2019-2020 School Year is $415.

When a parent(s)/student purchases the used device, the device will become the property of that parent(s)/student. The parent(s)/student will need to return any damaged device directly to a Microsoft Store for repair and/or exchange. If the device is lost or stolen or is damaged, whether accidentally or intentionally, the parent(s)/student will be solely responsible for the actual cost to repair or replace the device.

ANNUAL PAYMENT 

Any Mars Area High School parent(s)/student who is not purchasing the device is required to make an annual payment of $100 in order for the student to be permitted to take a District-issued device home. Payment is required by Sept. 15 of the corresponding school year. Payment will be accepted with checks made payable to “Mars Area School District” and may be turned into the school’s main office. Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch programs are exempt from paying the annual fee.

The District will return any damaged District-issued devices to Microsoft on a regular basis. The student may be without a District-issued device during the repair period. The cost to replace a stylus pen and/or keyboard will be determined by the actual retail price of comparable replacement items.

NO PAYMENT

If the Mars Area High School parent(s)/student does not purchase the device or does not pay the $100 fee, the student will be issued a District device for use during the school day. The student will not be permitted to take the device home and must check his/her device in/out each day at a designated area within the High School. The parent(s)/student must still complete all of the required District Technology forms. Students who do not pay the $100 annual fee and accidentally and/or intentionally damage the District-issued device will be held financially responsible for the full repair and/or replacement cost.

DISTRICT-ISSUED DEVICE DISTRIBUTION

 Students will receive their device on the same day that they submit their completed forms and payment, between Tuesday, Sept. 3, and Friday, Sept. 6. Students who submit the forms and fee after Friday, Sept. 6, will receive their device during school hours, as soon as possible. Student devices and equipment will be returned to the students in the same envelope in which it was placed when collected at the end of the 2018-2019 School Year. All devices must be fully charged and ready to be used on the first day of school.

REGISTERING BYOT DEVICES 

All BYOT devices, including cell phones that require access to school Internet, must be registered online at http://wiki.marsk12.org/byot/ prior to the start of school on Monday, Sept. 9. Devices that are not registered with the District will not be permitted to access the District’s network.
 

For more information about the District’s One-to-One (1:1) Technology Program; Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) Program; or to view District Policy 237 or District Policy 815, visit www.marsk12.org.

Specific questions regarding District-issued device distribution may be directed to Mrs. Lindsay Rosswog, Principal, at (724) 625-1581.